Landscaping Pics

We love the SNOW picture taken of the house, but really like these that show off the hard work of adding shrubbery, landscape cloth and mulch. Don't you think the very green grass is beautiful?! Still have to do the east side of the house where the azaleas and camellias are planted - but that's a job for tomorrow. Not to mention the back bed where my amaryllis are planted - sure hope they bloom this year!

Highs and Lows

One of the highs: the landscaping Barron has been doing looks wonderful! The grass is so green, and now we have flower beds with mulch. Thanks to Spencer Crumbley and Cezar (I hope I spelled it right) for helping us get the landscape cloth down and the mulch on top. They will come again on Monday and help us get more of it done.

One of the lows: new minivan needs new brakes -- yikes at that expense!

Another high: Coworker/friend Gary Stapler provided transportation for me to get to work and home today. Had a great time with him meeting Barron and showing off the new house and yard.

A big low: Cousin Debbie Brown has been diagnosed with acute leukemia - and kidney infection adding poison to her system. Please join us as we pray for Deb (principal at Cold Springs Elementary) and her brother, Rex (whose wife is principal at Fairview Elementary) and their families. Their mother, Midge, is the oldest Wilkins cousin (Barron's mother's side) and is in nursing home in Hanceville.

Another low: Barron cannot shake the hacking cough that just keeps using all his energy. He is on another round of meds so we are hopeful that these will work!

I'll try to get some pictures of the house/yard posted soon.

Visit Home

What a great weekend we just had in Phenix City. I took off work Friday so we would be sure and have plenty of visit time since so many activities were planned and Nate was in town. Thanks again to my baby sister and hubby Mark for letting us stay with them. We spent Friday visiting with the girls who just turned 5 this past Tuesday and enjoyed shopping time with them. Visited with the boys when they got home from school (they have been attending Veritas Academy at Lakewood Baptist Church). My Mom and Dad took us out to dinner at Cracker Barrel that night. On Saturday we went over to Columbus to visit Barron's cousins, Tiny and Jackie Latham, had lunch together at Country's Bar-B-Q and ended up with some dwarf liriope for our yard! Had a great time at the girl's birthday party (hard to believe how fast the past 5 years have gone) and then hurried over to Lakewood Church to congratulate Harris Henderson on his 80 years!! His daughter Martha and I attended Central together and West Side Baptist Church. I remember spending nights with her back in elementary school. Saturday night my sister, Julie, prepared a delicious meal of Chicken Divan (or Divine) and fluffy pink salad (yummy!). On Sunday we starting preparing a few dishes for Sunday dinner, then headed off to church. Told the kids goodbye - and then some of my siblings/spouses came over and we put dinner together and ate well. My sister, Cathy and hubby Billy, had dug up quite a few goodies from their yard for us to use in ours -- they did all the hard work. Hated to say goodbye to Nate, but hopefully we'll be getting together soon. We had a safe trip home, and I even had time to wash several loads of clothes before bedtime.

Check Elizabeth's blog for pictures of the girls birthday party (but since they are entertaining friends from Texas, it might take a few days). The Hutson's also brought their Wii Fit so they are really staying busy. Chris' dad had also been able to get to town for girls' party, but poor Aunt Judy had the flu and had to miss!!

Thank you Lord for such a good time spent with family and friends!!!